I have a new article on the Huffington Post about the death of newspapers, Newsrooms must die, Long Live newsrooms.
The point is the old ways have been dying, new ways have been emerging, and they will come together in something entirely new. Innovations from the web and old line practices that create credibility must inform each other. The split is perfectly expressed in the contingent ideas of Transparency and Image. Transparency sees a flattened hierarchy, and a community bubble up of ideas. Old line Image Makers see creation of experts from the top down by media giants. The new way recognizes that innovation bubbles up and is recognized. Image follows expert form. Imposition of Image (without the community bubbling up) will inevitably fail or be recognized as false.
I see a hybrid (NPO/For Profit) model of operation that will stabilize the staffing needs of newsrooms and deliver information to intended audiences through myriad distribution channels. Newsrooms will deliver by community-based mission and their staffing will be protected by the essential nature of their mission. Yet unlike mission-based non-profits that beg to sustain themselves, the new L3C newspaper will be self-sustaining through profits earned and investors.